Customs raid lorry in village
Customs officers are believed to have seized a large haul of illegal cigarettes in a late-night operation near Market Drayton.
Around six unmarked HM Revenue and Customs vehicles were involved in the swoop in Audlem when a lorry was searched.
Villagers said customs vehicles were skewed all over the road at the junction of Windmill Drive in a scene which looked like something from an episode of Starsky and Hutch.
Customs officers are believed to have forced a large goods vehicle from The Netherlands, which had gone up Windmill Drive, to stop.
Residents said they thought the HM Revenue and Customs team had tailed the HGV before forcing it to a halt in the village not far from the Bridge Inn at about 11.30pm on Friday.
They thought contraband cigarettes had been seized from the vehicle.
A spokesman for the village website www.audl em.org said: "At least six unmarked vehicles were seen to be skewed all over the road at the junction of Windmill Drive and Shropshire Street, opposite the Bridge pub, together with a large goods vehicle which had turned up Windmill Drive and stopped.
"At the scene were around eight or nine customs officers in fancy white baseball caps bearing chequered bands and customs logos."
Cheshire police confirmed they received a call from customs officers at 11.20pm and went to the village to offer assistance.
